2018 Maserati Ghibli on 2040-cars

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Maserati Ghibli gets blacked-out Nerissimo special edition

Following in the footsteps of the Nissan Midnight package and the Chevrolet Midnight Edition trucks, Maserati is jumping on the bandwagon, and its smallest sedan, the Ghibli, is now available with a limited-edition black trim package called "Nerissimo." In English, that translates simply to "extremely black." The package is available on the base Ghibli, Ghibli S, and Ghibli S Q4 models, and only 450 cars will come equipped with it. On the outside, it adds the following black-painted items: 20-inch wheels, door handles, window trim, and grille. Inside, the car gets black leather with red stitching, and a badge indicating that the Ghibli is one of 450. A few other features sweeten the deal beyond appearances. All Nerissimo models include blind spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, and remote start. The S and S Q4 models also get a Harmon Kardon sound system. The powertrain remains the same 404-horsepower twin-turbo V6 and eight-speed automatic found in the normal Ghibli. With that in mind, you pay quite a bit for what boils down to an appearance package. Turning a standard Ghibli into a Nerissimo model will add $5,650 to the $72,850 base price. Doing the same for a Ghibli S or S Q4 will add $6,800. So you had better really like the look and the exclusivity to spring for a Nerissimo. Others should probably spec out a more common version. Related Video:

Only best-performing US Fiat dealers to get Alfa Romeo franchises

Alfa Romeo has been rumored to return to the US market so many times for so many years, it's hard to keep count. This time, though, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne promises that it's for real. Alfa is scheduled to reappear in the States this summer with its 4C sports coupe as its introductory model. However, buyers won't be able to pop into just any Fiat showroom and leave with a 4C – it's planning to only sell Alfas at its best-performing dealers, according to The Detroit News. In fact, the first 4Cs sold here won't be sold at Fiat dealers at all. Instead the first shipment of cars in June will go to Maserati dealers, not unlike the handful of Alfa 8C Competizione coupe and convertible models that trickled in starting in 2008. According to Fiat Chrysler spokesperson Rick Deneau, the company is still deciding which Fiat retailers will participate in Alfa's reentry. Many of Fiat's US dealers are apparently not happy with the meritocracy approach. They built Fiat showrooms partially on the promise that Alfa would enter the US market in 2012, then 2013, and now later this year. Even worse for them, the prospects for more mainstream Alfa Romeo models in the US are still questionable. This isn't the first time that we've heard that Fiat plans to keep Alfa Romeo exclusive in the US. Still, Fiat only plans to export about a 1,000 4C sports coupes a year here. If Alfa wants to be a legitimate player in America and be a money-making concern globally, it will need far more sales than that. Featured Gallery 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C: First Drive View 57 Photos News Source: The Detroit NewsImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Matt Davis / AOL Earnings/Financials Marketing/Advertising Alfa Romeo Fiat Maserati Coupe Performance Sergio Marchionne alfa romeo 4c fiat dealers

Maserati gives us our best look yet at its Grecale small crossover

Maserati's second SUV, the Grecale, is nearly ready to make its debut. The company took advantage of a visit by Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares to release some of the most revealing photos of the model we've seen to date. While the Porsche Macan-fighting soft-roader remains fully draped in camouflage, we see enough of its front end to tell there's a wide, low-mounted grille with vertical slats and almond-shaped headlights located higher on the fascia. We'll hold our judgment until the Grecale is unveiled, but we're starting to see what Klaus Busse, the head of Maserati's design department, meant when he told Autoblog the MC20 would have big influence on future models. Viewed from the side, even with Tavares standing in the frame, it's clear that the Grecale's proportions were drawn with more of an emphasis on sport than on utility. Its front end is relatively long, its dash-to-axle ratio hints at the rear-wheel-drive platform underneath, and its roofline has more slope than the average kid-and-dog-hauling Ikea warrior. Earlier spy shots taken near Maserati's headquarters suggest the rear end wears horizontal LED lights. Unverified rumors claim the Grecale rides on an evolution of the Giorgio platform that Alfa Romeo's Stelvio (one of the better-handling crossovers on the market) and Giulia models are built on. Some reports warned the architecture would be phased out, but Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato suggested they're not accurate. If the Grecale is indeed Giorgio-based, it will likely come standard with rear-wheel-drive, and it will be offered with all-wheel-drive at an extra cost. Engine options remain unconfirmed; four- and six-cylinders can easily fit in Giorgio-based cars. Maserati will finish fine-tuning the Grecale in the summer of 2021, and it will present the model before the end of the year. When it lands, the Grecale will slot beneath the Levante as a taller alternative to the Ghibli. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.